Power Rangers Jungle Fury: A New Dawn
by Ikiyo Rei
Summary: A new season of PRJF! A new Ranger emerges from the jungle, together with her animal spirit! Curious? Read on to find out! Please R and R because this is only my second fanfiction!
1. Prologue

(Author's Note)

Hey guys! This is my second fanfiction! This time it's the Power Rangers and I shall introduce my OC later. Enjoy the prologue first.

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><p><strong>In the beginning, there were three.<strong>

"_With the strength of the Tiger," Casey shouted. "Jungle Fury Red Ranger!"_

"_With the speed of the Cheetah," Lily cried. "Jungle Fury Yellow Ranger!"_

"_With the stealth of the Jaguar," Theo yelled. "Jungle Fury Blue Ranger!"_

**Then another came.**

"_With the courage of the Wolf," RJ spoke calmly. "Jungle Fury Wolf Ranger!"_

**Followed by another…**

"_With the power of the Rhino," Dominic bellowed. "Jungle Fury Rhino Ranger!"_

…**making the number of Jungle Fury Power Rangers five.**

**But now, another shall emerge from the mist, the jungle.**

**And take up her duty as…**

…**a Power Ranger.**

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><p>(AN)

I hope it didn't sound too cheesy. Anyway, Chapter One is up next (:


	2. Chapter One

(Author's Note)

First chapter of this new story. Hope you guys will give me reviews.  
><strong>Disclaimer: I never own Power Rangers. Only my OC okay?<strong>

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><p><em>Somewhere on Earth…<em>

Her long brown hair flapped madly as the wind blew past her ears, ringing a melodious tune. Below her was a vast jungle, almost similar to the movie scene from Tarzan.

Birds were calling to their mates as the flaming life-giver sank into the horizon. Her legs dangled dangerously off the cliff, but deep down, she knew she wouldn't fall- because the jungle was her friend.

_Time to go_, she thought, grabbing a vine nearby. She swung about for while, before she flung herself onto her treehouse. She was rather proud of her house, for she made it herself.

Her bed was made mostly of leaves and animal fur, mainly leopard. Don't get her wrong, she was not a poacher, nor killed a leopard to get the fur. She skinned a dead leopard, and there was nothing wrong with that. It was dead, gone. So she got its skin. Reusing okay?

She began to drift off, snuggling into the warm leopard fur and closed her eyes.

And dreamed.

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><p><em>At Ocean Bluff…<em>

"Coming through!" Casey yelled as he held a pan of hot, fresh Hawaiian pizza. Theo ducked as he zoomed past him.

Fran was busy settling down the customers.

"Welcome to JKP! May I take your order?" Dominic asked, coming over, as Fran blushed. He gave her a wink, laughing, as he brought the customer to an empty table.

You would notice the vibrant atmosphere once you set foot into their restaurant; the laughter, the excitement, would blast right into your face.

"Lily!" Theo shouted over the noise, holding up an empty shaker. "Pepper refill!"

"On it!" she sped past him, scooping up the shaker and back into the kitchen.

(_An hour later…)_

"Thanks for coming!" RJ waved as the last customer exited.

"Phew!" Casey sighed. "Glad that was over."

"That was the busiest evening rush I ever had," Fran said, as she slumped into a seat. "The orders were practically endless!"

"Tell me about it!" Lily rolled her eyes, huffing exasperatedly.

"All right, guys!" RJ clapped his hands, getting everyone's attention. "Since we worked so hard today, we shall have a day off tomorrow!"

"Oh yeah!" the JKP staff cheered, throwing their caps into the air. The wolf master just chuckled.

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><p><em>The next day at Ocean Bluff…<em>

"RJ was so kind to give us a break," Lily smiled as she, Casey and Theo strolled down the busy streets.

"I know," Casey grinned. "We have so many things to do! First off, movie time!"

"No way!" Theo shook his head. "Lunch!"

"Movie!"

"Lunch!"

"Movie! We haven't watched one in months!"

"Eat first! We will lose our energy if we don't eat!"

"Guys!" Lily pleaded. "Stop-"

A loud explosion knocked them off their feet. Screaming people were running around, panicking, as a monster appeared from the smoke.

"Rangers! Let's play!" Slobber was pouring out of its chest, which was a head of a bulldog, like a waterfall. It was revolting.

The three of them gave one another a look and said at the same time, "Ranger time."

Taking out their not-so-normal sunglasses and putting them on, they morphed. "Jungle Beast, Spirit Unleashed!"

"Let's get him!" Casey yelled. "Shark Sabers!"

Theo somersaulted into the air and whipped out his fans. "Jungle Fan! Take this!"

Both of them sliced the dog up bad. One blow, followed by another…it seemed endless!

"You guys overestimate this guy!" Lily sighed.

Focusing on her animal spirit within her, she cried, "Jungle Fury Yellow Ranger!"

A yellow aura burned off her as she charged in. "Cheetah Jabs!"

In a furious frenzy of punches, she practically threw the dog off its feet and it exploded.

"Way to go, Lil'!" Theo thumped her on the back.

"Thanks!" Lily gave a warm smile as they powered down.

"So movie or lunch?" Casey asked and Theo thought of awhile.

"I think Lily should decide," he said at last. "Since she delivered the final blow..."

"How sweet!" Lily said teasingly as her best friend blushed. "Then I say…shopping!"

"Oh no!" The Tiger and Jaguar masters face-palmed themselves.

Lily laughed. Though the two did not agree on many things, this was something they definitely agreed on.

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><p><strong>Sorry it was super short. And the fighting scene sucked. I know. Help me anyone?<strong>

**-Lyrae**


	3. Chapter Two

**Oh my gosh. Wow. Never did I have so many hits and reviews in two days. Thank you so much! The response was much better compared to my previous story, and I cannot describe how happy I feel to read your positive comments.**

**Thank you to RPM Shadow, KingdomHeartsandIchigoLover and BeckyBoo12221 :D **

**I could practically give you guys a cookie each!**

**So here is Chapter 2! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimed: I DO NOT OWN POWER RANGERS. GET THIS STRAIGHT, PEOPLE.**

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><p><em>Somewhere on Earth…<em>

The girl slowly got up as the sunrays hit her face. Her clothes were getting damp and stinky. Turning to her calendar, she gave a small grin.

Today was the day.

Speeding over to her mother's bag, she took out a pair of orange-framed sunglasses with black screens. Tears fell as she recalled that fateful day thirteen years ago.

_*Flashback*_

"_Mother, please don't go…" she sobbed. "I don't know what I would do without you!"_

_The frail sickly woman, pale from the illness that took hold of her, gave a small sad smile. "Jules, honey. I am sorry, but you have to do this on your own."_

_She reached under her soft pillow and drew out a pair of sunglasses, its frames as white as her skin. "Use it on your twenty-first birthday," she said. "And then return to our hometown."_

"_Why?" the girl of eight inquired. She was confused, yet curious about the sunglasses. _

_Her mother didn't give her a straight reply. "You will know when the time comes, child." Her hand grasping the sunglasses, she passed it to her daughter._

_The girl reached out to receive her mother's last gift tentatively, uncertainty overwhelming her small mind. As she held it in her hand, it began to glow orange. _

"_It _is_ her_,_" she heard her mother whisper. She never really thought about it as the light faded. It was no longer framed in white, but orange._

_The young girl was convinced then. _

_It was magic._

_*End of flashback*_

She did not know what to do with the sunglasses. It was a complete mystery.

"_Put it on_," a voice echoed from the corner of her mind. She did not question it, instead she did as she was told. And then, in a flash of orange, she disappeared.

When she appeared in an alley a few moments later, she did not really think much about it until she saw a nearby brochure dancing wildly in the wind, flying into her hands.

She gasped as she recognised where she was. Looking around, she could not believe it at all.

She took of her sunglasses and eyed it. It was magic after all.

How she longed to explore her hometown. But as she went onto the streets, her stomach grumbled in protest.

Smiling, she went into the nearest restaurant. There was something nagging at her in that particular restaurant, but she shrugged it off. It was just the name, she guessed.

Jungle Karma Pizza.

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><p>The bell rang from the inside. Theo, who was wiping the table, quickly looked up and saw a brown-haired girl with hazel eyes, dressed in an orange shirt and blue jeans, entering shyly. Pretty or not, the restaurant was closed.<p>

"Sorry, but JKP is closed right now," he told her matter-of-factly. "Come back later, alright?"

"Couldn't I just have something to-" the girl tried to say, until RJ came.

"Whoa there, jaguar," he patted Theo on the shoulder. "We could make something for our lovely customer here."Turning to the girl smiling broadly, he introduced himself. "I am RJ, and this fella here is Theo. Welcome to JKP!"

The girl blushed, pushing back a strand of her fringe behind her ear.

"Hello," she spoke, biting her lips in hesitation.

RJ didn't know why she did so. Was she nervous?

"What's your name?" he asked, trying to make her feel comfortable.

He heard her take a deep breath before she replied, "My name is Julie. Julie Orlando."

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><p><strong>And there you have it! The name of my OC is Julie Orlando who just turned 21. Sorry for the rather ordinary name, but I had to give her name which sounded orange. Haha, I bet you guys already know her colour. It's way too obvious.<strong>

**Anyway, just keep reviewing!**

**-Lyrae**

**PS: The next chappie may take two months. Sorry, because my mid-year exams are in May so I need to mug like now. SORRY~**


	4. Chapter Three

**Haha~ I did this in my free time. Looks like my brain is being unpredictable. Anyway, Chapter 3, after a long wait, is finally up! Sorry everyone! **

**My greatest thanks to Michelle the Editor who really motivated me to write better with that lengthy review of hers. It really means a lot to me personally.**

**I do hope that from this chapter onwards, my story will slowly, but steadily, improve.**

**Thank you for all your support so far, readers!**

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><p>To Julie, RJ strangely resembled a wolf. His hairstyle and hair parting was seriously wolfish looking. She did not know how right she was.<p>

"So…Julie, was it?" RJ was saying. "Where are you from? Hazel eyes are not really common around here in Ocean Bluff."

Julie took a bite out of the slice of Hawaiian pizza she ordered. The very first food she was having after so many years in the wilderness was apparently pizza. She missed its warm aroma, especially the sizzling taste of the cheese.  
>"I'm from Ocean Bluff," Julie answered. "But I was kind of <em>overseas<em> for fifteen years."

"Oh?" the green-eyed restaurant owner mused. "You must be a traveller then."

Julie bit her lip before replying, "Sort of."

"So where do you live?"

She froze.

*_Flashback_*

"_You're selling our house, Mummy?" the young girl asked in great disbelief. _

_Her mother, with eyes swollen from crying, knelt onto the floor, flinging her arms wide open. The girl ran into them; the warm embrace comforting her. _

"_Listen to me, Julie," her mother spoke firmly, fresh tears falling every now and then."We are going away for quite awhile, I'm sorry, but it's the only way to escape."_

_Although she was only eight, she was aware of what was happening around her. She did not know why, but something was happening to her father the past few weeks._

_He had been acting strange, going about wrecking stuff, and hitting both his wife and daughter mercilessly. Then, he left mysteriously just last night and had not returned yet. _

_Julie shuddered as she remembered how each blow felt like. It had left her aching for a week._

"_Come, Jules," her mother said, as she heaved out two bags – one small, one big- from a wall. She then took something from the old grandfather clock, which Julie found weird to put things in. It was a strange box- a chest with some cat carvings. _

"_What's that, mummy?" Julie wanted to know._

"_Your inheritance," the reply was swift. "Hurry, we got to go."_

_"To where?" Julie was so confused. Why must they leave?_

_There was no answer. Her mother just grabbed her and rushed out of the house. And that's when they caught a cab and sped off- towards the airport._

*_End of Flashback_*

"I…I," Julie stuttered, before hanging down her head. "I…don't have one."

"Don't have what?" RJ frowned.

"A home," she whispered hoarsely. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but she hastily brushed them off.

She quickly gobbled down the last slice of pizza and laid down some cash. "Thank you for the pizza," she mumbled, heading for the door. "And it was really nice knowing you."

"Hang on, Julie!" RJ called. "You could stay-"

But she was gone.

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><p>"That was a weird customer," RJ was saying, before the gang turned in for the night.<p>

"How weird?" Lily yawned.

"Well, for starters, she had this aura around her," the wolf master said, thinking deeply. "Then, she totally disappeared or something."

"Come on, RJ," Casey laughed. "We all know that only Pai Zhuq students and masters can really disappear."

"And so can Dai Shi and his minions," added Theo not-so-helpfully.

"You mean she could be a minion of Dai Shi's?" Lily pondered aloud.

"Think about it," said Theo thoughtfully. "A strange girl appears in _our_ restaurant and says that she was from here, but was overseas for quite awhile. And then she doesn't have a home. Doesn't it make her rather suspicious?"

"So what? She could be speaking the truth," the cheetah master pointed out.

"Lil'," Theo sighed. "Stop standing up for people you don't know! If I can vaguely recall, someone was nice to a chameleon…"

Lily pouted, before reluctantly giving in. "So what do you suggest, Theo? Stalk her?"

There was a little glint in his eyes.

"I hate that look of yours," his best friend muttered. "But I hate your plan even more!"

"Come on, Lil'," Casey tried to get the team together. "We could do it just for the sake of Theo. If he's wrong, you could do anything to him."

Lily twitched her eyebrows. "Anything I want?"

Their leader nodded. "Yep."

"Wait! Hold on just a second, I never-" Theo protested before he was interrupted.

"Deal then," Lily said cheerily as Theo groaned.

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><p><strong>Okay, I am sorry. That was kind of short. Erm, but I hope the flashback wasn't really that irritating. It's kind of important, because it's Julie's memories of her past. So it kind of fits the story together. Just bear with me for just a few more chapters and the flashbacks will disappear, I promise!<strong>

**Please review too!**

**-Lyrae**


	5. Chapter Four

**Hello~ Back on fanfiction again. Mugging is tiresome, so I decided to write some more. Me and my fickleness. Haha~**

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><p>Julie wandered down the streets of Ocean Bluff. She was beginning to feel exhausted, the trees around her swaying to the random breeze. She stared into the moon, its light silently conjuring up her worries. Where was she going to sleep? How was she going to feed herself?<p>

Sleep, well, she could just lay down on a bench. It didn't matter whether she had a home; somewhere proper to sleep on would just as satisfy her.

Food and water was mainly a problem. If she did not find work fast, she would die. Yes, die as in you fly up to heaven and sing with the angels.

But the girl had only one question. "Why, Mum?" Julie whispered, clutching the sunglasses in her hand. "Why Ocean Bluff?"

She didn't get it. Of all places, why her hometown? Why the place that they had left abruptly so many years ago? And why did they leave in the first place?

"_Through friendship, you will find your answer,_" a voice spoke within her head. "_Through friendship, you will find your spirit._"

It was frustrating. Her imagination was playing tricks on her. Voices in her head… what next? Finally she came to stop at an inviting bench. She lay down, and slept.

From the distance, a pair of eyes watched her with great interest.

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><p><strong>The next day at Ocean Bluff…<strong>

Theo Martin was livid with anger- and steaming. He was stuck on the streets with the boiling sun toasting his back, while his team was in an air-conditioned restaurant.

Oh yes. His team_ was_ the one responsible for ditching him into the harsh punishment of the sun. What happened to one for all, all for one?

**An hour ago-**

"Of all people," he muttered. "Why me?"

"Because," Lily stated simply, "it was your _brilliant _idea to stalk some innocent girl."

"I can taste that sarcasm," Theo pouted, folding his arms.

"Awww, Theo…" Casey smiled, patting his back. "Stop acting like a kid. Unless, you want to chicken out of the deal…"

"Fine, fine!" the jaguar master raised his hands in defeat. "I'm going!"

"Don't forget your sunglasses, Theo!" RJ joked. "It's either the sun or the girl!"

"Very funny," he mumbled as he set off to find the stranger.

**Now:**

So here he was. Wonderful. How was he going to find a girl in Ocean Bluff? It was like finding a needle in a haystack.

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><p>Her stomach was growling. How long was she roaming about aimlessly?<p>

Julie had thought of going back to that pizza restaurant, but she was more afraid of the fact that they would give her free food. They might think of her as a beggar, or have the wrong impression of her taking advantage of RJ's kindness. That, personally, would make her feel rather embarrassed.

Water was no problem; apparently there was a park nearby and they had water coolers. Dehydration was off her list.

Julie loved parks ever since she was young. In fact, she loved nature. The wilderness made her feel she belonged for some reason she had yet to figure out. She sat on a wooden bench, taking in the fresh spring breeze and the harmonious chirps of the birds.

Then it stopped. For a moment, Julie didn't know why. Children and adults alike were screaming and running away, like they were terrified or something.

And when she turned, she was still confused. It was some big monkey cackling away. "Run! Feed me with your fear!"

Julie totally did not get it. It was probably some guy in a monster suit trying to get attention. How annoying.

She strode right up to the guy and yelled. "Hey! What you're doing is not very nice, you know!"

Now she had a closer look. The costume was seriously weird. It was brown all over with a rather fuzzy monkey head, which was baring its fangs, sticking out of its chest. Its hands were super hairy and long talons protruded from them.

"Of course I don't!" the guy snapped. "I am Dai Shi's minion and I don't play nice!"

"I don't care who or what Dai Shi is, but you are going too far!" Julie growled.

"Oh?" he sneered. "What can a puny little girl like you do?"

"She doesn't have to! Because we will!" a voice shouted from behind her.

Julie was even more puzzled when she saw flashes of red, blue, yellow, purple and white zoom past her.

"Wha-?" Julie choked out as she saw six figures dressed in different coloured suits and matching helmets.

"Get out of here!" the yellow figure- a girl- said urgently. "This is no place for a civilian like you!"

"Who the hell are you people?" Julie managed to say. "Are you doing an advertisement or something?"

"Do you see any cameras?" the white figure spoke jokingly to the others. "Because I don't."

"Power Rangers! How nice of you to drop by!" the guy in the ape suit chuckled as he snapped his fingers."Rinshi!"

To Julie's astonishment, from the ground, white zombies in brown clothes appeared in a purple smoke.

"Oh my god," was all she could say.

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><p>Casey knew the whole cycle would repeat itself again. First, a big bad creature comes and terrorise people. Then, the Power Rangers –them- would arrive and the monster would either go solo or call reinforcements. Next, when they defeat the creature, it would grow big.<p>

And then the Megazord is formed and _wazzam!_ Baddie is gone for good.

According to his calculations, the battle would take at most fifteen minutes or longer, depending on how powerful this guy was.

"Come on, guys!" he spoke, as he called on his Shark Sabers. "If we finish this fast, it'll save us a lot of trouble."

"Jungle Fan!"

"Jungle Mace!"

Theo flew over the zombies, landing in an opening. Swinging his fans from side to side, he slashed the zombies on the chest, sending them back to wherever they came from. It was all too easy now, ever since he became a Master.

Lily was doing as well as him. The powerful hits from the Jungle Mace were too much for the pathetic Rinshi. Lashing it out time and again was exhausting for her, but she took it as a workout. There were loads of bangs here and there, and it only took her around one to two minutes to finish them off.

Lily smiled at her accomplishment. "Personal best."

The three other remaining Rangers were in charge of the monkey. It was faster than the baboon they fought previously.

**(A/N: for those who don't know, the baboon is the one they fought (and defeated) in Episode 16: Friends Don't Fade Away. You know, that episode when RJ became a Ranger.)**

Casey noticed that this particular monkey was much more agile than the baboon. Its reflexes were good, but not that great. Time to end this.

Charging up his sabers, he went head on, giving it as many slashes as he could possibly give. RJ gave him a helping hand, using his Wolf Beam to finish it off.

And with a loud boom, it was gone.

And as Casey expected, it grew.

"Animal Spirits, unite!" Casey, Theo and Lily cried, as their spirits solidified into one- the Jungle Pride Megazord.

Dominic and RJ joined in, calling on the Wolf and Rhino zords. Well, need I say anymore? I mean, the Power Rangers are like super professional at kicking rear ends, and it's rather obvious that they would defeat the ape right?

So it was a long farewell to the monkey. Hooray.

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><p>Julie was dumbfounded. How long was she away from civilisation? Oh yes, a very <em>long<em> time. And in that period of time, Ocean Bluff had Power Rangers? Now, when did _that_ happen?

Ocean Bluff was a naturally peaceful place, so why was it terrorised by monsters? So many questions, yet they probably would never be answered.

The Power Rangers were supposed to be fictional, some heroes from a kid's imagination. She could hardly believe that they were real, existing in real life, fighting for the sake of the people and upholding good.

To see them in action was like watching a soccer match, not knowing who would win or turn the tides on each other. In other words, the battle between good and evil was unpredictable. In television shows, good would always win, but in reality, it might not be the case.

"That was intense!" Julie snapped out of her reverie. She watched as the Power Rangers, still in their suits, walk away from her.

"There was something weird with that ape," the red ranger said thoughtfully.

"Oh?" the purple ranger turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"For some reason," the red ranger explained. "I felt that he was holding back, like he was not there to battle us."

"That's insane," the blue ranger burst out. "All of Dai Shi's minions want to battle us! Why would a creature not want to?"

"Maybe he was here for something," the white ranger pointed out. "Or he had something else to do."

Julie's curiosity was getting out of control. She gathered her courage and approached them timidly. "So you guys are Power Rangers?"

"Yes," said the blue ranger impatiently as he turned to face her. "Who el- holy macaroni! It's-"

"Shut up!" the yellow ranger slapped her hand onto his helmet, where his mouth was supposed to be.

"Huh?" Julie blinked. Holy macaroni was a strange phrase to use for a Power Ranger.

"Please pardon my friend," the purple ranger, who sort of looked like a wolf, apologised. "He can be quite…eccentric."

Julie was not paying attention. She was trying to stare right through his helmet. Was it a coincidence? Just yesterday, she met someone who resembled that animal and now it turns out that a Power Ranger was associated with it? Weird or what?

"Are you okay?" his voice spoke, drawing her back to the present.

"I'm sorry, I thought you reminded me of someone I met yesterday," Julie smiled awkwardly.

She thought she saw him stiffen slightly. "Ah, well, the world is small," he shrugged.

"Yes, and _time_ is short too," the red ranger butt in. "Sorry, miss, but we are expected elsewhere. Cheeri-o!"

Grabbing his team, they ranoff, leaving a rather stunned Julie behind.


	6. Chapter Five

**Oh fudges. My school's going to push forward the exams or something, thanks to polling day on 7****th**** May (and also because the following Monday would be a public holiday). Damn. **

**Julie is so freaking lucky to be my imagination. Grahhhhh~**

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><p><strong>Dai Shi's temple:<strong>

"Master," a creature emerged from the dark corners of Dai Shi's throne room. "The ape has failed. Is it my turn yet?"

"Yes," growled his lord, still furious with his previous minion's failure. "And mind you, failure is not tolerated. Either succeed or never come back again."

"Of course," the creature grinned as it exited the temple.

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><p><strong>Ocean Bluff:<strong>

Luckily that girl was at the park, or else Theo would have wasted a whole week or month finding her.

Good thing he was short too. She never noticed him following her, thanks to his –ahem- height. She never went to malls (only to use the bathroom) or those places girls her age would go to. She always hung around the park, and ate nothing.

Theo remembered RJ mentioning she had no place to stay, and concluded that she was short on money.

Then why didn't she ask for help?

The blue ranger knew he was wrong about her being Dai Shi's minion, but he was slightly aware of a lingering, almost familiar, aura circling her.

At the end of the day, he saw her turn in on a bench. Theo was shocked. Here he was, having a nice bed back at Jungle Karma Pizza, and there she was- sleeping on a hard surface in the cold.

When he decided it was enough, he returned to the restaurant.

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><p><strong>Next day, Ocean Bluff:<strong>

Julie awoke again to the familiar scenery of the park as her stomach growled in protest.

"Sorry," she murmured, stroking it. "But you got to endure. I'll find food soon. I hope."

It was time to head into the city and scout for a job.

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><p><strong>JKP:<strong>

"I told you so!" Lily grinned from ear to ear. "Too over cautious, eh Theo?"

"Okay, okay," her best friend grunted. "I admit defeat."

"Oh not so soon," Lily chuckled mischievously. "As I _vaguely recall_, someone owes me a wish…"

Theo groaned again.

"Before you even ask me to do anything," he sighed. "Can we deal with the girl first?"

"What about her?" Casey questioned, as he tossed a neatly flattened pizza dough into the air and caught it again, slamming it down onto the table.

"I think we got to help her," Theo spoke, as he refilled the shakers. "She's totally homeless and penniless. I think she wouldn't survive another day here."

"Makes sense," RJ entered the kitchen. "But what do we do?"

There was a moment of silence before Fran came hurriedly down the stairs.

"Erm," she began. "Big problem in the city."

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><p><strong>Some place in Ocean Bluff with a lot of people…<strong>

"Scream!" cackled a grayish-beige furry creature, as it sheathed its claws, destroying everything in its way. People were panicking, scrambling to safety. "Fill me with fear!"

"Hey, furry!" Yellow, blue, white, violet and red blurs charged, knocking into him.

"Not another one!" Theo shook his head. "We just fought yesterday!"

"No break for us, I guess," Dominic shrugged.

"And what might you be?" RJ asked, curious about the spirit that creature held.

It had charcoal black horizontal stripes which ran from head to tail, where the stripes become vertical. It had fox-like ears and very sharp teeth.

"Glad you asked!" it smirked. "Astuvet, with the spirit of the civet!"

"Civet?" Casey gave a small smile. "Alright then!"

RJ and Dominic ran head on, with both their morphers fully charged up.

"Wolf Beam!"

"Rhino Stampede!"

A purple laser and a shower of missiles pelted the civet, but it smiled. What had happened was a blur. First, it was standing there. Then it jumped up and twirled towards the Wolf and Rhino rangers, knocking them onto the ground.

"It's fast!" RJ gasped.

"Then we'll just to match speed with speed!" Lily cried as she lunged towards the civet, with yellow cheetah aura sparkling off her. "Cheetah Jabs!"

Her punches came swift and in a fury. The civet chuckled and did the same. It was amazing. It was fist against fist…. Until the civet cunningly did a feint, which Lily fell for, and threw her towards a pillar. Its strength was astounding, for a small mammal.

Theo and Casey struck it together. Stealth and strength had to work, but it did not. Apparently, they had all forgotten about the tail.

It seemed that the civet had three hands. When they both tried to go after an exposed area, the tail was always there to block. And boy, it had power. With a flick, both the red and blue rangers were down for the count.

"You rangers don't stand a chance against me!" sneered Astuvet. "Dai Shi will be pleased when I finish you!"

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><p><strong>Dai Shi's temple:<strong>

Dai Shi was indeed pleased with Astuvet's success. The Power Rangers were _powerless_ against the small, but powerful mammal.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and began to meditate. Until he felt a burning presence advancing.

And then, an awakening roar thundered through his mind.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the cliffie DDD: But it was kind of necessary. I hope I have not been boring you guys with the oh so cliché moments. <strong>

**Don't forget to read and review~**

**Thanks to all the people who have reviewed ^^**

**-Lyrae**


	7. Chapter Six

**Argh. Wrote out of boredom again in the middle of class… I am such a bad student…**

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><p><strong>Ocean Bluff:<strong>

Julie was amidst the crowd when the civet attacked. She was terrified, not because of its looks, but because of what happened to her many years back. She was rooted to the spot, as her face paled at the memory that had scarred her for life.

*Flashback*

_Young Julie of four was in the garden, playing in a sandbox. Her castle was made out of three buckets full of sand and it did look rather magnificent to her. _

_She could smell the appealing aroma of freshly baked cookies wafting out from the kitchen window and smiled. _

_Her mother was an excellent cook, and she would often make Julie's favourite chocolate chip cookies for tea time. And she was right._

"_Julie!" her mother called. "Cookies are ready! Wash your hands and come to the kitchen!"_

_Just as she turned back to her castle to add the finishing touches, she saw a long furry thing poke out from the bushes just a few paces away from the sandbox. _

_Curiosity overcame her as she approached it, gingerly reaching out and grabbing it. Everything that was happening to her was a blur. She felt something piercing her hand and a loud scream rang out. Shocked, she realised that it was hers. She was closing her eyes, trying to shut off the pain._

_Her mother came rushing out in an instant, and gasped."Julie!"_

_Julie couldn't get the pain out of her head. Something was piercing her. Suddenly, most of it was gone, but it still stung._

_She opened her eyes and saw her mum holding a weasel-like animal by the neck. _

"_A civet?" she heard her mother mutter. "We don't find it here…must have escaped from the zoo…"_

_And Julie saw nothing but darkness._

*End of flashback*

Julie shuddered at the memory. The scar was still there: it was shaped like a mouth, but the puncture holes were small. Her mother brought her to the doctor and the civet had indeed escaped from the zoo. They were cunning creatures.

She hid behind a pillar, and saw the Power Rangers appear and witnessed as they were defeated one by one. She watched, helplessly, as the civet monster advanced on them, a cruel smirk on its face.

Julie knew she had to help them, or else Ocean Bluff wouldn't stand a chance against the monsters.

But what?

"_A heart of justice is what makes a Power Ranger,_" the voice whispered, like a wind in the jungle.

"Huh?" Julie raised an eyebrow, as she felt her body tingle. And then, there was an orange glow.

* * *

><p>"We can't give up!" Casey yelled, as he picked himself off the ground and the others followed suit.<p>

"Jungle Master Mode!" the red, blue and yellow rangers chorused in unison.

A blinding white light overwhelmed them as their suit changed from black to white.

"Firing jets!" White hot flames burst out of their suits as they flew towards the civet, their Claw Boosters pointing dangerously at the monster.

"That won't stop me!" the civet quickly jumped up, above them, and came down slashing away.

The three of them were flung back again, unwillingly morphing back to their civilian clothes. RJ knew that both he and Dominic were the only ones that could stop it now.

"Come on, Dom!" RJ yelled as he charged up his Wolf Morpher with one last strike. "We have to make this count! Wolf Beam, full power!"

"Rhino Morpher, Super Blade, maximum power!"

Both attacks came crashing down upon the civet and smoke exploded onto the battleground. RJ and Dominic, too, morphed back to their civilian clothes. Casey and the others ran over.

"Did we get him?" Almost immediately, an answer was given. A grayish blur flew from the explosion and when it materialised infront of them, they were all taken aback.

"No way!" Lily said exasperatedly. "Even RJ and Dom couldn't take him down!"

The civet was still in one piece, but really angry. Its eyes glowed as it cried out, "Mad Slash!"

Dark black aura coated its claws as it slashed at the Power Rangers and they collapsed on the ground, writhing in pain.

"One last strike… " it sneered, its claws sheathed, as it took a step towards them.

"Leave them alone!" a girl's voice rang through the air.

An orange figure somersaulted through the air, landing between the civet and the fallen Rangers. Her suit was similar to that of Lily's and Theo's although the only difference was that she had circular rosettes instead of Lily's spots and Theo's squarish rosettes.

"A new Ranger?" the civet took a few steps back in shock, for Dai Shi had never mentioned a sixth Ranger.

The Rangers also could not believe their eyes.

"Who's that?" Casey asked.

"I don't know," RJ furrowed his eyebrows. "But something about her seems familiar…"

"Yeah!" the new Ranger said determinedly. "You're going down, mammal!"

"Let's see you try! Mad Slash!"

She quickly twisted herself upwards, the attack missing completely. She turned herself into a human cannonbolt and launched herself towards the civet. Her legs landed heavily on its chest, forcing it onto its back, before flipping backwards onto her feet.

"How'd you like that?" the orange figure grinned confidently.

It just growled and gathered a large dark energy. "I summon the civet!"

A grey-brownish weasel-like animal pounced forward as dark energy burned off it.

The orange ranger quickly touched her chest. "I call forth the spirit of my heart!" A large mass of orange aura burst from her palms as a large cat bounded towards the civet. Both mammals clawed and bit each other furiously.

The new ranger speedily did some cartwheels and kicked the civet as if in a rage, orange aura radiating from the soles of her feet. In a second, he was down for the count.

There was a great silence after the display of power-packing movements, only to be broken by Dominic. "Just who is she?"

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><p><strong>Dai Shi's temple:<strong>

Through meditation, Dai Shi could sense the every movement the newly appeared ranger was doing.

"Overwhelming flexibility and power," he recited as his eyes still shut. "This is the Leopard…"

They flung wide open after his words.

"No way!" he gasped. "The Leopard user lives!"

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><p><strong>Okay…Cliffie again. I am enjoying myself now. The sixth chapter and the sixth ranger appears. Alrightttt~ read and review…<strong>

**-Lyrae**


	8. Chapter Seven

**Lalalala~ We should all eat sushi~ (Oh...me and my randomness...)**

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><p><strong>Battlefield:<strong>

Julie felt like she was in a dream, her flips in the air made her feel like she was soaring over mountains. She couldn't believe it. She was a Power Ranger now and an orange one too! Orange was her favourite colour and her mother had agreed that it was a rather healthy choice too.

The civet didn't seem to be a challenge to her. All she had to do was cartwheel and somersault and the deed was done. Within her, her heart was palpitating with sheer joy. Her gymnastic skills really came in handy. Her mother was right all along.

"Had enough?" she grinned at Astuvet. He seemed tired and in pain.

"Grahh!" Astuvet snarled. "I will retreat for now, rangers, but I will be back!" And with that, he disappeared.

"That was amazing!" a voice sounded and Julie turned, gasping after realising who the Power Rangers were.

Her eyes stared at each of them in wonder – the Jungle Karma Pizza crew- as she demorphed.

They were equally stunned.

"Julie?" RJ came closer. "You're a Power Ranger?"

"I don't…I…yes…" Julie said, frowning as she took off the sunglasses that her mother passed to her. How did it get on her face?

"How did you get that?" RJ said, bewildered, his gaze on them.

"My mother gave it to me," she replied. "Why?"

RJ didn't reply as he motioned to the girl in yellow. She nodded and took out a pair of yellow framed sunglasses from her pocket.

Though a different colour, the design exactly resembled Julie's.

"I don't understand, RJ," the guy in red said. "How did she get that Solar Morpher? You told us that you made ours…"

"Don't ask me, Casey," he said, slowing taking Julie's morpher and scrutinised it carefully. "I have no idea how she got it."

Suddenly, his eyes grew wide. Whipping around, facing Julie he demanded in a un-RJ way, "Who's your mother?"

"H-her name was Lisa Orlando," Julie stuttered. "Why?"

She didn't understand why RJ seemed so dead…so _lifeless._ His shoulders were sagged and his eyes were still fixed on the Solar Morpher.

"RJ? You okay?" a short Chinese-looking guy in blue asked worriedly.

RJ looked into Julie's eyes and whispered inaudibly, "We need to talk."

* * *

><p><strong>The Loft, Jungle Karma Pizza (upstairs):<strong>

Julie was hungrily wolfing down a few slices of pizza back at the loft. It was huge! She was honoured to be welcomed at the Power Rangers' secret hideout, although it was just an ordinary pizza restaurant.

She knew their names now- Casey, the Red Tiger Ranger; Theo, the Blue Jaguar Ranger; Lily, the Yellow Cheetah Ranger; Dominic, the White Rhino Ranger and finally, RJ, the Purple Wolf Ranger. She got along with Lily relatively well, for both of them shared a common interest in dancing.

"You look like you haven't eaten in days!" exclaimed Fran, a non-Ranger crew of JKP.

Julie flushed with embarrassment. How was she going to say that she had been wandering homeless for two days?

RJ sat down beside her, his expression rather stoic. "Did your mother ever tell you which schools she attended?"

"I am unsure about the name, but I think it was some university around here…" I pondered.

"No, I mean, like those _special _schools," he tried again. What special schools? Julie just gave him a confused look and he sighed.

"You see," he began, "I was somewhat your mother's…erm…classmate. Dominic knew her too."

"Wow!" Julie exclaimed. "You guys went to the same school together?"

"Not quite a school," Casey interrupted. "It's a martial arts school."

"Wait," Julie started to put everything together. "You mean my mother was like a kungfu master or something?"

Dominic nodded. "Lisa was one of the brightest students there by mastering one of the most unique spirits there ever was. But one day, she disappeared. We haven't seen her since."

"Where's Lisa, Julie?" RJ questioned. "Could we talk to her?"

She swallowed. "I-I'm afraid it's not possible."

Theo raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Because," she croaked, tears forming at the corners of her eyes, "she's already dead."

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><p><strong>Dai Shi's temple:<strong>

"Impossible!" Dai Shi roared, his rage seething. "I made sure the Leopard master died! How could she have been revived?"

"She's only a girl, master," Astuvet bowed. "How much a threat could she possibly hold?"

Dai Shi walked up to him, his mask a millimeter away, glaring. "More than you can imagine, civet. Have you not tasted the Leopard's agility?"

"If it brings you much distress," Astuvet vowed. "I will destroy her, my lord."

Dai Shi smirked. "That's what I wanted to hear."

* * *

><p><strong>The Loft, Jungle Karma Pizza (upstairs)<strong>

Dominic couldn't believe his ears.

"Lisa…is dead?" he whispered. "What do you mean?"

"It happened many years ago," Julie said, dashing away her tears. "It's a long story."

He listened, as attentively as he could, as she recounted the day when she and Lisa left Ocean Bluff for a jungle somewhere on Earth and the time when Lisa caught an illness which eventually led her to Death's door.

"And the last thing she gave me was the sunglasses," Julie said. "And she told me once I reached the age of twenty-one, I was to return here."

"But with no money…" Dominic frowned. "How did you get here?"

"Don't say that I'm crazy, but…" she pushed back her fringe. "I think I teleported."

"That's impossible!" Casey cried out. "The Solar Morphers can't teleport! Right, RJ?"

RJ licked his lips. "About that…I didn't really tell you, did I?"

That earned glares from everyone, except Fran, Dominic and Julie.

"Me and Lisa…we were the ones who came up of the idea of the Solar Morphers," he said modestly, scratching the back of his head. "We did create one and tried it on Lisa's animal spirit and it worked! It was amazing and we were so proud and…"

Everyone gave him the get-on-with-the-explanation-and-no-sidetracking face.

"Okay, okay," he mumbled. "However I couldn't use it because I wasn't a big cat."

"Of course you aren't," Fran said. "You're a human."

"As in my spirit wasn't a big cat," RJ told her.

"Oh," Fran said stupidly. "Sorry."

"So I developed new morphers for different spirits, like the rhino," finished RJ. "The Solar Morpher I first created was with Lisa the last time I checked."

"Was it white?" Julie inquired.

"Yes, how did you know?"

"You are not going to believe me, but this-," she took out her morpher. "- was white."

Looking at everyone's blank expression, she explained, "When my mother gave it to me, I touched it, and it turned orange."

RJ's eyes seemed to light up. "Your spirit must be the same as your mother's!"

"Her spirit?" Lily questioned.

"The Leopard," answered RJ. "It was very agile and so was Lisa. You should have seen her fight. It was incredible!"

"Yeah," Casey noted, nodding in Julie's direction. "We've seen how she fought."

"So you're saying," Theo said, "that the Solar Morphers have the ability to teleport?"

"Yes," RJ hesitated. "But it's a locked function."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Theo pressed. "Unlock it!"

"I…can't, only Lisa knew how."

"So Julie is the only one who has the ability to teleport?"

RJ nodded.

"Bummer," Theo said sulkily. "It would be nice if we could…"

Suddenly the alarm went off and the television fizzled to life.

"Rangers!" Astuvet's voice rang out, admist the screams of the terrified people. "I am back! Let's play!"

"Let's go," Casey nodded as each of them grabbed a vine and swung right through the hole in the wall.

* * *

><p><strong>Battlefield:<strong>

As they arrived, Astuvet was sneering at them. "You won the first round, but can you beat me in the second?"

"Sure!" Casey answered as he reached for his morpher, giving them the cue. "Ready, guys?"

"Ready! Jungle Beast, Spirit Unleashed!"

"With the strength of the Tiger," Casey started off. "Jungle Fury Red Ranger!"

"With the speed of the Cheetah," Lily continued. "Jungle Fury Yellow Ranger!"

"With the stealth of the Jaguar," Theo followed. "Jungle Fury Blue Ranger!"

"With the courage of the Wolf," RJ shouted. "Jungle Fury Wolf Ranger!"

"With the power of the Rhino," Dominic cried. "Jungle Fury Rhino Ranger!"

"With the agility of the Leopard," Julie yelled. "Jungle Fury Leopard Ranger!" The words felt strange yet powerful as it left her lips.

"Rinshi!" the civet called out, as zombies began to grow from the ground. "Attack!"

"You guys go ahead and get Astuvet," RJ said as he patted Dominic on the shoulder. "Dom and I will take care of the freaks."

"You got it!" Lily nodded as the remaining four rushed off to deal with the civet.

RJ watched as they exchanged fists with the monster and asked, "So, Dom, you want to do this the fast or the long way?"

"Fast," Dominic shrugged. "I need to land some attacks on the civet as payback."

RJ snickered. "So do I, buddy. Wolf Morpher!"

"Rhino Stampede!"

And this time, their attacks worked perfectly.

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><p><strong>With Casey, Lily, Theo and Julie...<strong>

Julie was struggling to synchronise her attacks with the other three. It was hard to try not to hit them and focus on Astuvet alone.

When the others fell one by one, Julie felt a little relieved. It's not like she was sadistic or anything- at least she won't be able to accidentally land an attack on them.

"Leopard Ranger, huh?" Astuvet sheathed its claws. "Dai Shi's told me all about you. Apparently, you are going to be in his way. So, I shall do him a favour by destroying you!"

Julie didn't have time to comprehend what he was saying. He charged towards her and her reaction was swift. She somersaulted backwards continuously as he advanced. Finally, she pushed herself off the ground and human-cannon bolted back towards him, knocking him off his feet… again.

"You never learn from your mistakes, do you?" Julie taunted as he grunted.

Just before he could reply, a voice echoed from behind her. "He doesn't, but _I _do."

And then, there was a red explosion of pain.

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><p><strong>Must mug~ <strong>

**Review please:) **


	9. Chapter Eight

**I am sorry for the late update. My parents are banning me from fanfiction. But obviously, I am going to become rebellious. But updates will be much, much slower and for that, I sincerely apologise. **

**Thanks for the reviews. You guys are omg-ish awesome. A personal thanks to MichelleTheEditor for pointing out my horrible mistakes. What would I do without you? :DD (That means I will be editing some stuff in the chapters so bear with me.)**

**Argh, I seriously need to go to the library to get some new vocabulary words and ideas. **

**I am sorry if this chapter is horrible. Really sorry. I think I am losing my touch. DDD:**

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><p>Julie winced, as she fought to get up. A steely grip on her neck pulled her up from the ground forcefully as she cried out in pain.<p>

"Hmm…you don't seem to be the Leopard user I fought years ago…" a voice said thoughtfully, as Julie tried to pry his fingers away from her throat; gasping for breath. "Her aura was white, not orange."

"Dai Shi, let her go!" RJ yelled, slamming into his side, trying to knock him down.

Julie could see her captor clearly now. He was clad in a black and gold suit with a full-face visor and _definitely_ did not really look very happy.

"Let her go?" Dai Shi smirked, not flinching from the wolf master's futile attempt. RJ was blasted away as soon as he came in contact with Dai Shi's armour. "Fine."

His gold fingers suddenly turned bluish-black as he curved them into a claw at the same time he released the Leopard Ranger from his grip.

Everything happened so slowly. Julie's eyes widened as she saw it coming down on her, raking her abdomen. An ear-piercing scream of agony echoed, and with a shock, she realised it was hers.

"Julie!" Lily's voice shrieked.

The force of the blow sent Julie flying backwards until she hit into a pillar. Pain was searing within her, spreading from her stomach and she clutched it, writhing.

"Guess this is goodbye, Leopard Ranger…I expected so much _more_…" Dai Shi advanced, gathering a huge ball of weird black stuff that Julie didn't want to think about.

Every breath she took hurt, as she lay sprawled on the ground, helpless; a sitting duck. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, bracing herself. How did dying feel? Maybe her mother knew…and so would she in what- a second?

"Hold it right there!" a voice shouted as Dominic landed between the both of them. "You have to go through me first!"

Julie's heart felt as if a large weight had finally toppled off, until Dai Shi grinned, launching the orb of darkness in his handd, "Gladly! This will kill two birds with one stone!"

"Dom...n-no…" Julie muttered weakly, her eyelids drooping. She was on the verge of consciousness and she knew she wouldn't last much longer. Her suit began to fizzle out involuntarily.

"_No," _the voice within her insisted. "_For them, you will fight. For them, you will survive."_

Suddenly, something within her mind cracked. A strange power began to unfold slowly, like a sleeping beast only waking from its slumber when its master requires its assistance.

"I summon the dwelling beast within! Unleash the Leopard!" she heard herself roar.

At her words, her chest seemingly exploded into a firework of orange as her spirit took form, bounding towards the energy ball, and ate it.

On cue, the Leopard's fur spiked up as if from static as it leapt towards Dai Shi and cannon bolted.

"Impossible!" roared Dai Shi. "Lion Spirit-!"

But it was too late. It was bye-bye to the overly egoistical Dai Shi.

And then fatigue finally washed over her, as she began to spiral into an abyss of darkness…

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><p>"<em>It's over, Leopard Ranger!" a cold, menacing voice snarled.<em>

_Muffled voices. Throbbing headache. Julie couldn't make heads or tails where she was. Infront of her was Dai Shi in his black and gold suit and across him was a Power Ranger with a suit just like hers, but pure white. _

_The white ranger stood there, elegantly, and Julie could swear she could feel her blazing spirit._

_She could hear drabbles of their conversation._

"_-no, you-"_

"_I-"_

"_Poison-…die..."_

_And then a scream blotted out everything._

…_._

…_._

…_._

…_._

…_._

_Shaking. More shaking. An earthquake? _

_Voices…all around her. _

_She was tumbling into an ocean of darkness and pain. Waves of agony hit her time and again, tossing her around like a ragdoll. She felt so tired, so _very_ tired. _

_Her eyes were opened slightly, never closing, but never opening fully either. Her muscles did not listen to her, and thus she became as limp as a piece of driftwood, enduring every hit._

_She found that she could not sleep, even though she _wanted_ to. _

"Don't ever," _a gentle whisper echoed. Julie couldn't be bothered to figure out who it was. _"Your destiny has just been set. Don't give in…awaken."

And she did.

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><p>A shiver of fear ran down Casey's spine and he shuddered. He had been feeling that a lot lately, but he didn't wanted to bother any of his teammates with it. Dai Shi was a lot meaner than some measly trembles.<p>

With Julie recuperating from her wounds, the team had tensed up with worry. Serving customers today seemed like such a dreary task now. The bubbly atmosphere had now been overwhelmed with a sudden bleakness.

The kitchen had seemingly been silenced. No words were exchanged, except when necessary, like when Theo needed Lily to top up the salt and pepper. But every sentence was delivered tonelessly.

Of course, taking orders from the customers was another matter. They would mask their worry with a false smile and a peppy voice, but that was all they could do.

Casey sighed as Fran entered the gloomy kitchen. Usually, she would burst in, but apparently the dullness had got to her like a virus. "2 Mexican and 3 Hawaiian pizzas," she deadpanned and just left.

Tossing another flattened dough into the air, he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. He quickly caught the dough, slamming it down onto the table, before his head began to spin. With his two hands firmly planted palm-down for support, he closed his eyes and fought against it. As soon as it came, it faded.

He inhaled slowly and deeply. Luckily he was the only one in the kitchen, or else Lily would be fussing over him like his mother.

He had never felt so weak, so _vulnerable_. The dizziness tried to grasp a hold of him again, but he shook it off as he got back to work.

He would endure it.

He would not let them find out.

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><p><em>When?<em>

_Now._


	10. Chapter Nine

**Thanks so much for the reviews and for the tips….but I don't think I'll shout and get my way. It never ever works for me. My mum would just give me a big fat slap. :/ My parents think that writing won't get me anywhere. But I'll prove them wrong… someday, I hope.**

**Anyway, I got my inspiration back and it's all thanks to 'His Dark Materials' by Phillip Pullman.**

**Okay…enough with the talk and on with the story:D**

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><p><em><span>From the desk of Doctor Gerry Williams<span>_

**_-PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL-_**

**_Name: _**_Julie Leandre Orlando_

**_Gender:_**_ Female_

**_Age: _**_21_

**_Blood Type: _**_B+_

**_Name of __Parent__/Guardian*: _**_Robert James_

**_Type of injury/__disease__/__condition__* sustained: _**_Stomach wound; slightly nearer to the waist (claw marks)_

**_Notes: _**_Patient is recuperating successfully. Lost both parents in an accident (guardian did not specify). Guardian has explained that the patient had a dangerous encounter with an unknown beast. Condition is not very life-threatening. Advised to stay at least 2-3 days in bed after discharge. Patient is fit to be discharged soon._

**_*Underline where applicable_**

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><p>It was joyous news when they heard of Julie's awakening. The gloomy overcast atmosphere was slowly fading away as everyone, every staff of Jungle Karma Pizza, excitedly cleaned up and rushed to the hospital. It wasn't very far, just a few blocks down the road. It was really hard to miss, with its white walls and a huge sign outside which read: Ocean Bluff Hospital.<p>

RJ was there earlier that morning. He left first, to bring her a special gift. He left the rest to clean up and join them in the afternoon. When they reached her room, a pleasant sight greeted them.

There Julie sat, drinking and enjoying a delicious minestrone soup that RJ had specially cooked up for her. There was more colour to her face, and her skin glowed. She was wearing a pajamas-looking hospital gown, her bandages hidden under it.

Unaware of the five pair of eyes watching her from the door, she begged from more soup. Every taste bud in her tongue was tingling. Chuckling, RJ did. He was glad that she had her appetite up, since she was out cold for, like what, one and a half days?

"The food here is tasteless!" she complained, whining, taking another hungry sip of her soup. "I wish you were the chef here…"

"Julie!" Lily nearly danced over, giving the newly-joined Ranger a warm hug.

"Hello," the Leopard-user smiled. Her eyes shifted to each of her friends, glinting with mischief. "I hope my little sleep didn't affect your work."

"Don't tell me RJ told you everything!" Theo said, glaring at the Wolf Master, who sheepishly grinned back.

"Julie wanted an update…and well, I couldn't lie to her…"

"We've missed you," Casey glancing at Theo. "That's why…"

"I know," she whispered, before he could finish. "But you can't do your work poorly because of me. I'm stronger than I look, you know. I mean, come on, it's not like I'm going to die or something, thank you very much. "

Once the words left her mouth, she felt an awkward silence. Realising her mistake, Julie felt like punching herself. Everyone was really worried about her and all she could say was that? She really wanted a hole to swallow her up right now. Or maybe cease to exist. Yeah, that would be perfect.

Dominic was about to say something, until the beeper sounded. It was kind of cliché when you were about to speak, when some crazy sound just had to interrupt you. The Chinese called that 偏偏 _pianpian_. Wait a minute…when he did he started to take Chinese? Oh yeah, when he decided to travel the world.

Quickly, each ranger shifted into the 'kick-some-bad-ass' mood. Within the next second, they left, all except Casey. He hesitated, standing at the door, and gave Julie a backward glance. She, in return, just gave him a determined look with Fran sitting next to her.

"Go," she mouthed, and he did.

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere in Ocean Bluff…<strong>

Dominic was getting exhausted. It was so infuriating, how monsters pop out almost every day. Sometimes, he wondered if Daishi ever got tired of sending out creatures and losing in the process. Dominic would have applauded Daishi for his persistence and perseverance if he wasn't that evil. Daishi's minions ranged from everything. Most of them were just walkovers. There were only on a few occasions where they were really tough to beat. It was really quite pathetic.

Then again, it was all in the job. Like a package, by being a Power Ranger, you have to be prepared every day. Who knows, monsters might appear on your kid's birthday and you have to disappoint him or her to fight really nasty creeps. Your life is practically screwed up. Luckily, they were just a team who worked as a pizza crew so none of that ever happened.

And anyway, as many people say, there's a greater responsibility with bigger jobs. Saving the world is never easy. You have to face the fact that even though you are a hero, you can't save everyone.

Darn, what was he doing? Sidetracking? That wasn't good. He had totally blanked out in the middle of the battle.

With a loud thud, something punched into his chest— _hard_. You must imagine, for a Rhino-user like him, when he said hard, it is, no exaggeration. Just picture it in your head. A rhino, famous for its tough hide, receiving a hit like that is not something you see every day.

He flew through the air; everything rushed past him so quickly. His eyes were having a hard time adjusting, but that didn't matter. He was slammed into a wall in a blink of an eye. A normal person's bone would have snapped under the impact, but not Dominic.

That was a really strong throw…and the opponent was not called the rhinoceros beetle for nothing.

As Dominic was trying to catch his breath on the ground, the insect across him was clapping his three pairs of legs in glee. The huge horn, which looked rather big and heavy on its head, was vibrating in laughter.

"You are not so tough after all!" it cried out. "And Daishi told me to be careful when battling you guys!"

Dominic was quickly helped up by the rest of the rangers. He heard Casey growling furiously.

"What's wrong with you!" the Tiger Ranger snapped his head towards him. "Why did you space out like that? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

For a moment, Dominic was speechless. He knew he was in the wrong, but why the lecture? Through Casey's visor, he could see fierce eyes glaring back at him. Whoa there…did the usually composed leader just went all annoyed there?

"Casey…" Even Lily noticed it; she reached out and grasped their leader's shoulder gently. He just rudely brushed it off.

"You want to play, pest?" Casey stepped forward and crouched low, his fingers poised into claws. "Let's have fun."

* * *

><p>He sprang into the air, his fingers burning with red energy as he lunged towards the beetle. It lowered its head, its usual blunt horn quickly shifted into a sharp blade, and charged. It was a showdown of strength between a tiger and a beetle.<p>

He was, indescribably, livid with anger. All the frustrations of his life were building up within him, seeking to be unleashed on something…or someone.

Casey was focused on the creature and it alone. His fellow teammates' gossip didn't even reach nor bothered him. Nothing else mattered to him at that very moment.

"What's Casey doing?" RJ said. "We were supposed to fight as a team, not solo off!"

Theo just crossed his arms and shook his head. "I don't know what's up with that guy. Like seriously, is he really our leader?"

"But Casey's not like that!" Lily protested.

"Oh yeah?" Theo raised his eyebrows. "Then who's that guy over there?"

Everyone's attention shifted back to the battle. They couldn't see it, but Casey's lips were stretched in a sadistic smirk as he rained fists on the rhinoceros beetle. Why didn't he feel this much pleasure when he was battling other monsters before? Why only now?

He couldn't think. Casey's senses began to react as he lashed out. He could hear the enemy's panicked breaths, feel the desperation building within it, and smell its fear.

"I summon the beast inside!" he roared, the air around him crackling. "Tiger, awaken!"

A huge beast burst from his body, growling loudly. The beetle began quaking in terror, as he was crunched in the jaws of the mighty Tiger and…eaten.

Dominic could feel the aggressive and merciless aura radiating from the young ranger. When they won, this particular battle was solemn.

And for the first time, they didn't have to go big.

* * *

><p><em>When you finally realise it,<em>

_It'll be too late,_

_Because by the time you taste defeat,_

_You would have already opened the Gate._


End file.
